According to Giussi et al. (2017), implementing a new strategy for societal change faces significant challenges. These challenges require good management, human resources with specific skills, and an information system capable of adapting to the culture and context to reach the desired goal behind this change.
In this paper, I will discuss how to implement societal change strategies and reach a consensus and satisfaction with stakeholders.
Suggested strategies for making the change:
The proposed strategies reflect the predetermined plans to achieve a specific goal: making the required change. This will be in the short or long term in light of the impact on stakeholders and a close relationship with them regarding this change, and this can be done through the following:
1. Create a logical model: When arriving at the final vision of the change, a brief informational model should be formulated that stakeholders can easily understand. This model should agree with the stakeholders' needs and not conflict with their culture (DiSabato, 2019).
2. Add narrative questions: These will clarify who will be affected by the change, whether benefit or harm, and what solutions the stakeholder deems appropriate for him (DiSabato, 2019).
3. Persuasion of change: These must be formulated to enable stakeholders to absorb the new changes (John & Leonard, 2008).
4. Diagnose resistance: some stakeholders will either reject or resist the change; the resistance must be counted, as well as the extent of its impact and ways to be addressed (John & Leonard, 2008).
5. Resistance treatment: this will clarify misunderstandings and improve confidence in the quality of the new changes (John & Leonard, 2008).
6. Monitoring the progress of results: Societal change takes time for its idea to mature, depending on its impact on stakeholders (DiSabato, 2019).
Suggested tools for implementing change strategies:
They are the tools through which it is possible to send and receive information necessary for the change process, as follows:
- Organizational Memo: This tool is used to communicate information of immediate importance to internal and external stakeholders based on brevity and clear points without long narratives (McLaughlin, 2010).
- Workshops increase stakeholder participation in change. This tool can be used to prepare for change or implementation process. It focuses on growing stakeholders' understanding of all aspects of change, leading to the best ways to make change. It also instills organizational resistance to change (Grave et al., 2014).
- Surveys: Surveys are a vital change management tool because they gather stakeholder feedback, concerns, and guidance during the change process (Mathers, Fox & Hunn, 1998).
- Focus groups differ from workshops in that they are interviews of 4:6 participants from stakeholders. Participants are asked about their concerns about change directly or some of its parts, leading to a clear stakeholder vision of specific questions needed to make the change (Morgan, 1996).
Get buy-in from the stakeholders:
This can be completed through the following by counting all stakeholders and including them in the change process, providing clear and unambiguous justifications for the change process, in addition to explaining the benefits of the project and identifying the risks that may impede these changes or even the risks that may occur as a result of the change. Transparency from the outset is the best way to complete changes and obtain support from stakeholders, whether this support is to get the required funding or even moral in order not to impede change (Sharon, 2012). Finally, it is necessary to listen and communicate with stakeholders for the change to occur in the required manner and for the change to achieve the best benefit.
Conclusion
Change management strategies aim to help stakeholders understand changes and their usefulness and thus adopt changes in their business environment; this can be done through several direct and indirect tools such as: (organizational memos, surveys, workshops, focus groups, and interviews); these tools explain changes, receive concerns, and work to reduce resistance to these changes.
References
DiSabato, M. (2019). 4 Steps to Implementing Your Social Change Strategy: A Case Study with SEFCU
https://npengage.com/foundations/4-steps-to-implementing-social-change-strategy/
Grave, W. D., Zanting, A., Mansvelder-Longayroux, D. D., & Molenaar, W. M. (2014). Workshops and seminars: enhancing effectiveness. In Faculty Development in the Health Professions (pp. 181-195). Springer, Dordrecht.
Giussi, M. V., Baum, A., Plazzotta, F., Muguerza, P., & González Bernaldo de Quirós, F. (2017). Change management strategies: transforming a complex implementation into a successful one. In MEDINFO 2017: Precision Healthcare through Informatics (pp. 813-817). IOS Press.
https://hbr.org/2008/07/choosing-strategies-for-change
Mathers, N. J., Fox, N. J., & Hunn, A. (1998). Surveys and questionnaires (pp. 1-50). NHS Executive, Trent.
McLaughlin, M. (2010). Business Memo. Western Technical College Online Writing Center.
https://www.westerntc.edu/sites/default/files/student-life/documents/OWC/BusinessMemo.pdf
Morgan, D. L. (1996). Focus groups. Annual review of sociology, 22(1), 129-152.
Sharon, T. (2012). It's our research: getting stakeholder buy-in for user experience research projects. Elsevier.